Just try to steep us away from Odaya Tea.
Just try to steep us away from Odaya Tea.
Sipping on a fresh-brewed beverage as you go about your day is surely one of life’s sweetest pleasures. Whether you’re all about the Strawberry Matcha hype, or a oolong-time appreciator of tea-based treats and Japanese sweets – prepare to meet your matcha made in heaven. Because we’ve got an inkling Odaya Tea is about to unlock a new level of obsession.
It’s entirely possible you may have missed the memo of this matcha-slinging star in our midst. Tucked right outside Robina Town Centre’s designated foodie playground, The Kitchens, Odaya Tea has been delighting customers with a delectable dose of Japanese treats and traditional tea culture.
Whisking matcha fans into a frenzy with an assortment of show-stopping drinks and desserts, sweet-seeking punters can tuck into towering Waffle Baskets stuffed with sesame gelato and all the sundae trimmings; along with hand-made Cookies, Matcha Tiramisu or Strawberries Daifuku, the traditional Japanese confection made with authentic mochi and hand-crafted red bean paste.
Thirsty? Set your sights on the drinks menu, where you’ll be greeted by freshly-brewed libations in almost every colour of the rainbow. Dominated of course, by the telltale sea of goodness-packed green, Odaya Tea’s extensive selection of matcha-based beverages are created using ceremonial grade power. Keep it classic, opt for thirst-quenching Yuzu Matcha Iced Soda’s or underrated sensations like the Genmai matcha coffee latte, topped with lush and creamy milk foam. Of course, it’s never too late to get on board the iced Strawberry Matcha bandwagon, either!
For those opting to take on one of the fully-loaded dessert creations (and really, how can you resist), Odaya offers limited indoor and outdoor seating at which to perch up and savour your selection. Along with the stacked selection of house-made desserts and ready-made libations, the cozy tea shop style cafe offers a highly hoardable curation of cute tea paraphernalia and premium take-home powders. Keeping us plied with our matcha fix between visits, tea lovers can stock up on a largely organic selection of Sencha, Gyokuro, Genmaicha, and Hojicha, available in various grades from essential to ceremonial.
For true tea enthusiasts, the latest addition to the menu, Uji matcha will be a must-try. Coveted for its highly sippable, mellow profile and unique aroma; Uji leaves are painstakingly hand-picked from Kyoto’s revered tea plantations and stone-ground using traditional methods. For those trying to keep an eye on their caffeine intake (commiserations) a Hojicha latte, touted for its toasty, caramelly notes, comes through on big roasted flavour sans jitters.
If you’re gaga for frozen confections, Odaya Tea also delivers your Japanese flavour fix in gelato–and gelatinous–form. With 16 options gracing the cabinet, get around flavours like Fuji apple sorbet, Hojicha, Peach oolong tea, and of course, several types of Matcha, which, you can opt to take in bowl, parfait, waffle basket, or mocha-wrapped Daifuku form.
As you’d expect, the Odaya crew are deeply passionate about the tea life and by extension, the many health benefits of matcha consumption. They’re sticklers about sourcing the ‘world’s most outstanding teas every season to ensure our products consistently uphold the highest standards of quality’. So, indulge freely, y’all! Better make it two scoops…
Where: Ground Floor, Shop 4285, Robina Town Centre, Robina Town Centre Dr, Robina (Behind the Body Shop).
When: 10am – 5:00pm Monday – Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
10am – 5:00pm Thursday
10am – 4:00pm Sunday.
Words by Kellie Leader
Images by Mathilde Bouby
This ‘burb has all the bells and whistles.
Pop quiz! Where’s one place on the Gold Coast, where you can shop till you drop, eat your body weight in quality nosh, wander amongst stunning natural parklands and more? It’s Robina! There’s also a hospital and train station, but unfortunately, they’re not exciting enough to make our list.
Here are 18 things that are exciting enough to make our list.
Say ciao to Robina’s (perhaps, Gold Coast’s) most authentic and downright delicious pasta joint! The artisan pasta boutique store is brought to us by a European mother and daughter duo – how could it not be? Made with high-quality durum wheat semolina (rich in fibre, protein, vitamin B, and also digestion-friendly), their fresh-as pasta can be paired with a selection of their no-nasties, slow-cooked sauces. The best!
Where: Easy T Centre, 514 Christine Avenue, Robina
The Euro food tour continues at My French Pastries- a slice of Paris right in Robina. They deliver made-from-scratch croissants, tarts, and decadent desserts, with each pastry crafted with high-quality ingredients that keep locals coming back for more (and more and more). Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat.
Where: Shop 5, 4226/361 Robina Pkwy, Robina
Home of our beloved Titans, CBUS Super Stadium is one of the best regional stadiums in Australia and it’s ours, all ours (insert wicked snigger). Not only do Gold Coasters spend their weekends cheering on the boys here, but we’ve also been lucky enough to watch A-league and international football games, the Nitro Circus, and the Rugby 7s as part of the Commonwealth Games. High five to CBUS for being our homegrown hub of sporting joy.
Where: Centreline Place, Robina
An intimate 24-seat Asian bar and restaurant offering a modern take on Southeast Asian cuisine. The menu showcases creative dishes from Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, inspired by vibrant street food flavours and regional classics. With its cosy setting, flavour-packed plates and a Chef Hat from the Australian Good Food Guide for 2025, it’s a top pick for both date nights and group dining.
Where: 44 Commerce Dr, Robina
She’s smart, she’s stunning- she’s Bond University. Yes, Robina is home to the prestigious and world-class institution that helps current and future generations reach their biggest goals! Bond combines innovative teaching, a supportive campus community, and beautiful surroundings to create an inspiring study environment.
Where: 14 University Drive, Robina
The spacious, sports-themed bar and restaurant made a big splash on Robina Town Centre when it first moved in and continues to do so in 2023. Within The Sporting Globe there are no less than 50 high definition screens including two 5m2 screens and a nine-screen video wall, so yeah nah, you’re not missing a single second of the action. They’re also serving up perfect sport-watching food, frosty bronsons galore, and an all-round cracking good atmosphere. It’s a sure thing.
Where: The Promenade, Robina Town Centre, Robina
Calling all dog lovers! This expansive dog park is the perfect place for your furry friend to run, play, and socialise safely. With plenty of open space and shaded areas, it’s ideal for a weekend outing with your four-legged family members.
Where: Lot 21 Robina Pkwy, Clear Island Waters
A vibrant café serving wholesome, flavour-packed meals crafted from fresh, local ingredients. Harvest Foodhouse is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a relaxed lunch, with mouthwatering options like lamb shoulder tacos, cauliflower steak with a white bean hummus, loaded savoury croissants and triple-choc waffles. You’re gonna need to make a few trips.
Where: 361 Robina Parkway, Robina
The playground to end all playgrounds! Greenheart Robina Parklands is a 22.5-hectare wonderland with towering slides, net bridges, trampolines, swings, water play, and a toddler zone, all fully fenced with an onsite café (hallelujah). Kids can pedal off to the bike track with humps, bumps, and traffic signs, while parents chill under shady umbrellas. Add in walking paths, a boardwalk, half basketball court and a dog park, and you’ve got the ultimate family day out.
Where: Stadium Dr, Robina
A tried and tested (regularly. Very regularly….) favourite, Robina Pav features a sleek look’n’feel, dreamy deck overlooking the water, a specialised kids area, and plenty of good vibes. Boasting a menu packed with epic eats from woodfired pizzas to stacked burgers, it would be rude not to get involved with the impressive cocktail menu #IfWeMust. It’s the perfect spot for sun-soaked afternoon sessions with you posse.
Where: 229 Ron Penhaligon Way, Robina
A modern Australian rooftop bar and restaurant, Green Fields serves up flavour-packed dishes with a focus on quality produce and sustainability. The stylish rooftop setting makes it ideal for enjoying a meal while taking in the Robina skyline.
Where: 94 Laver Dr, Robina
A yakitori-focused Japanese-Korean grill in Robina, known for its smoky binchotan charcoal skewers. The menu features wagyu beef, free-range chicken, veggie options, and fresh seafood, paired with Japanese whisky, beer, and wine. Perfect for casual dinners or a night out.
Where: 126/128 Robina Town Centre Dr, Robina
If open spaces and oodles of greenery, in the middle of a city no less, is your thing (yes please), Cheltenham Park is the business. There are plenty of areas for the kids – human and fury – to run themselves ragged (#yeahmums!) bushwalking tracks, and big leafy trees to stretch out beneath with a picnic and your favourite people. Perfect for escaping the rat race without chewing through the petrol in search of a tree change.
Where: Cheltenham Drive, Robina
Cocoflufferia by Goji is the all-new dessert wonderland, where dairy-free decadence meets a candy-land of toppings! Grab a bowl of their light and fluffy vegan soft serve, then go crazy with a line-up of delicious toppings like pistachio kanufa, Bueno, pistachio and Nutella sauce, Biscoff crumbs, mini mochi, M&Ms and fresh fruits!
Where: Robina Town Centre, Robina
Step into a world of optical illusions and interactive 3D art. Artvo is not only visually stunning but also a playground for your imagination, offering endless photo opportunities and fun for all ages.
Where: Ground Floor, Near the Kitchens, next to Lush, Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina
Riva is the home of sleek and stylish premium workspaces that make the 9-to-5 grind feel…well, less grindy. They’re designed to foster productivity and creativity by combining comfort, style, and convenience, with both private and co-working options.
Where: 2/14 Edgewater Court, Robina
Small Fry offers a modern twist on classic Australian seafood. One of their signature dishes is the Bug Bao– lightly battered bug meat in a steamed bun with coleslaw, chilli, shallots, lime, and sriracha mayo. Don’t walk, run! Pair that with a serve of their Family Parmesan and Truffle Fries, and damnnnnn!
Where: 273 Scottsdale Drive, Robina
Your most Instagrammable matcha moments await at Matcha Therapy- where everything is made with ceremonial grade matcha powder from Uji, Japan. Sit, sip and shop your way through matcha heaven.
Where: 129 Laver Drive, Robina
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
We want snacks and Shiro Gelato & Snack delivers.
Shiro Gelato & Snack is Southport’s new HQ of sweet and savoury Japanese small bites (and licks) you Japaneed to be acquainted with, like now, arigatou gozaimasu.
Perched just a hop skip and a yum from the G’s Southport tram stop, the conveniently positioned new venue is a #snaccident waiting to happen for lucky passersby. For owner Kei Okamoto, a well-placed location was the main priority when selecting the new spot for Shiro Gelato & Snack. His former experience dishing up street food style Japanese eats at markets, combined with head chef Shodai Kawakami’s ten-year culinary expertise is the ultimate matcha made in heaven.
The two-legged fuzzy ball mascot featured throughout the shop’s signage is your subliminal sign to leg it on in to discover the array of treats that await. The interior fit out was handled by the Shiro crew (what can’t they do), with a simply-appointed and welcoming space framed by classic crisp-white subway tiles – while the seductive glow of those house-made gelatos glisten from the cabinet beyond. The intimate, corridor style space offers limited casual seating to lick, sip and savour until the #hanger safely subsides.
For those not familiar with Japanese fare, you might be wondering just want you can expect from the Shiro Gelato & Snack menu. Think authentic light Japanese bites worthy of quashing the most serious of snack attacks (though, with a couple of Onirigi’s under the belt, you may still feel a lot like rolling on out of there).
The aforementioned savoury specialty Onigiri, is a popular Japanese rice ball lunch and snack dish, as tasty as it is convenient to nom on-the-go. The Shiro offering includes six signature flavours such as a classic salmon and takana, made with Japanese leafy green mustard pickles and spices promising a slightly spicy and tangy flavour. Though we also like the sound of the Negi Miso – Shallots, miso, citrus chilli paste a shal–lot.
For sweet tooths, curb your cravings by sinking your teeth into the beloved jelly-like, traditional Japanese sweet treat that is Warabi Mochi.
Though we’ll never miss an opportunity to gush about gelato (umm hello, we live for this), and the Shiro Gelato & Snack selection of Japanese flavours does not disappoint. Japanese eats enthusiasts will be soy into the Kinako – a roasted soybean flour flavour most commonly compared to peanut butter. Joined by yet more mouth watering contenders such as Black sesame, Matcha white chocolate, miso caramel, and the vegan friendly Yuzu and lemon flavour.
Can’t decide which sweet treat you’re in the mood for? Same. Might we suggest a thinly Mochi-wrapped (and/or topped!) gelato scoop for the ultimate best of both worlds action.
There’s no doubt lucky northern locals will bento-ver backwards to get their Shiro Gelato & Snack fix, while for everyone else this little Southport side quest is a tasty snackrifice well worth taking.
Where: 50 Nerang St, Southport
When: 11:30am–10pm daily
Words by Kellie Leader.
Images by Mathilde Bouby.
Goya Cafe is dishing up traditional comfort food cuisine.
For ardent lovers of Japanese food, we have ourselves plenty of choices here on the Gold Coast. Sushi is perfect for when you’ve just stepped off the beach, Teppanyaki is an occasion best shared with friends, and ramen is like a warm hug for the soul after a testing day — or week. One newly opened venue hopes to chime in on the well-received Japanese cuisine scene here on the Coast and even bolster it with what they deem missing: Japanese comfort food!
If you’ve marvelled at the Izakayas of Osaka and/or been blown away by the first-rate food scene of Tokyo, you’ll know that Japanese food is, in fact, like an iceberg, and here in Australia, we have merely seen the surface!
Goya Café takes over the once-popular space occupied by Sens Café on the Gold Coast Highway in Broadbeach opposite The Star Gold Coast’s The Darling and offers a diverse menu of Japanese treats which you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else.
The menu hinges on the creatively delicious sandwich goodness of Sandos and the steamy eggy delectableness of Omurice. These two subsections have a plethora of different flavours and cater for vegetarians and vegans.
Sandos, in a nutshell, are an elevated toasted sandwich of the highest order. You’ll also experience rice flour baked bread which brings a unique softness and an ever so slight sweetness, almost like a brioche, only without the gluten! With multiple fillings such as Angus Beef Tenderloin and Eggplant Tempura & Dashi, you’ll have enough replay value to keep coming back.
The Omurice dishes (translating to egg on rice) provide you with some luscious and gooey egg action, and if you’re quick about it once you get your plate, if you create the right incision, your eggs should fold in on themselves and reveal a soft centre which can almost appear to be moving — delish.
Should you feel the need to wash these tasty treats down — you ought to — there’s a wide range of drinks on offer, including nitro brew coffee, matcha, a black sesame seed protein smoothie and more. For those who feel like something a little stronger, you’ll come across a selection of boutique Japanese whiskies, gins, beers and a small choice of signature cocktails like the Gin-Gum, a white tea and eucalyptus-infused gin all-day sipper!
The venue itself is a breath of fresh air as you step in off the highway; the space oozes Japanese sophistication and simplicity with exposed wood and clean neutral tones throughout. Sit street side or get yourself a booth or table inside and let the space add some zen to your day.
At the moment, Goya is open for breakfast and lunch, but with firm plans on the horizon for dinner services, it shouldn’t be long before Osaka’s swagger, and Tokyo’s charisma will be coming to a dinner booking near you.
Where: 9/2669 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach
When: 7am – 2pm Weekdays and 7.30am – 2.30pm Weekends
Words by Alex Mitcheson.
